JBI database of systematic reviews and implementation reports
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JBI Database System Rev Implement Rep · Jan 2015
The use of dexmedetomidine as an adjuvant to benzodiazepine-based therapy to decrease the severity of delirium in alcohol withdrawal in adult intensive care unit patients: a systematic review.
Chronic alcohol consumption is a prevalent issue. Healthcare professionals often discover their patient has an alcohol consumption issue when they are admitted to the hospital and no longer have access to alcohol. The global standard for treating alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) symptoms are benzodiazepines; however this therapy is often inadequate to control symptoms of delirium in adult intensive care unit (ICU) patients due to an imbalance of inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitters. ⋯ The use of dexmedetomidine in the management of delirium associated with alcohol withdrawal in adult ICU patients should be further studied via large scale randomized controlled trials.